By Tony Attwood
Due to UEFA rules, “Arsenal will wear their blue away shirt with a new pair of silver shorts and socks.”
This is not the first time Arsenal has worn this set of colours – it wass also seen during some of the pre-season games. It is also being stated that within the Uefa rules which stress that they can order clubs to do anything they like in any way at any time, it says that clubs may be orderedd to mix and match their first, second and third stip at the whim of the referee.
Actually no, it doesn’t say at the whim of the referee but it does say that if the ref says, then the clubs have no right of appeal and must obey. Which I suppose means they have to take three sets of kit for every player, and then a back up three sets of kit for each player in case any of the originals get lost or torn in the game.
I wonder if they bring the dirty laundry back to England for cleaning, or do it in the country they visit. Back to England I guess – these foreign cleaning companies can be a bit dubious, especially when washing clothes of foreigners.
The whole thing is overseen by the referee who is, we are told Donatas Rumšas. If he sees a clash, there is no arguing, the colours have to be changed. Hence the three sets of kit for dedach player.
Meanwhile in his media chats Arteta is saying that he is looking to go further than last season, which effectively means the final..
Speaking to a bunch of fantasist ne’er-do-wells (aka sports journalists) he is reported as saying that some of the summer purchases of players was primarily to ensure that Arsenal were not once more caught out through running out of first team players because of injurites.
Of course this can be problematic because players need to be playing regularly if they are to keep themselves sready to be brought onto the pitch suddenly for a game when a fellow player is injured, or the opposition are using a tactical approach not considerd when Arsenal set up their line up. So that means in games which Arsenal are expected to win some of the back-up team will be getting games.
Hence the level of spending this summer, particularly with the idea of playing maybe up to 74 games in the season and often with two games a week.
There is one other little side line that comes into this match – it is being played in a part of Spain in which Arteta grew up, which could mean that he will have a clear idea of the instructions being given to the opposition players as the game continues and then might be ablle to counter them via English instructions to Arsenal men.
Among his other statements, he said to journalists, “I’m now preparing to win in Bilbao which is going to be incredible. I hope you all go because it’s one of the best places to go, north of Spain, that’s where I’m from. I think you’re going to enjoy it guys and an incredible stadium atmosphere to play football.”
Which given that he was talking to the bunch of people who regularly criticise him and Arsenal for coming second, was rather gracious.
